Assuring the quality of education is a concern of learning institutions. To do so, it is necessary to have assertive learning management, with consistent data on students' outcomes. This research provides associate deans and researchers, a roadmap with which to gather evidence to improve the quality of open-ended assessments. Based on statistical…

The past [approximately]15 years have seen increasing interest in defining disciplinary core concepts. Within the field of physiology, Michael, McFarland, Modell, and colleagues have published studies that defined physiology core concepts and have elaborated many of these as detailed conceptual frameworks. With such helpful definitions now in…

This article considers the effects on universities of Gutenberg's invention of printing. It considers four major effects: the gradual displacement of Latin as the language of scholarship with vernacular languages, the expansion and eventual opening of libraries, major changes to curriculum, and major changes to pedagogy including lectures.…

The recruitment of Asian students into western universities has highlighted the debate about commercialisation of education, academic standards and the role of culture and language in approaches to learning. This article investigates Chinese students' perceptions of how two typical examination formats (multiple choice and essay) affect their…

The use of computers to deliver course-related materials is rapidly expanding in most universities. Yet the effects of computer vs. printed delivery modes on students' performance and motivation are not yet fully known. We compared the impacts of Web vs. paper to deliver practice quizzes that require information search in lecture notes. Hundred…

This study aimed to provide evidence to guide decisions on the type and timing of assessments in a graduate medical programme, by identifying whether students from particular degree backgrounds face greater difficulty in satisfying the current assessment requirements. We examined the performance rank of students in three types of assessments and…

An algorithm for the assembly of multiple test forms is proposed in which the multiple-form problem is reduced to a series of computationally less intensive two-form problems. At each step one form is assembled to its true specifications; the other form is a dummy assembled only to maintain a balance between the quality of the current form and the…

Describes and evaluates a "controlled assessment procedure" as a holistic approach to avoiding problems of administering and evaluating traditional exams. Key characteristics include: the question is known well in advance and is broad and open-ended, students are encouraged to respond in any self-selected written format, and the rationale and…

Discusses the implementation of theme-based exams in a one semester, advanced-level general chemistry course for physical science and engineering majors. Presents an example of a theme-based exam given at the beginning of the semester. (Author/CCM)

A University of Adelaide (Australia) study investigated the effect of administering identical stations to different classes over a 12-year period within the objective structured clinical examination component of a final-year medical school examination. Repeat administrations correlated with improved student performance over time. (Author/MSE)

Preliminary findings concerning crib card examinations, in which students bring their own notes for use during testing, show that while crib card test results were similar to those from traditional examinations, students' anxiety was reduced, and testing time was saved, claims that the cards may enhance learning were not substantiated. (MSE)

A study examined a paper-based method of testing in a clinical biochemistry course, part of a new modular, systems-oriented medical curriculum at the University of Otago (New Zealand). The method of assessment was found easy to administer, and students valued the quizzes as a stimulus to study and as feedback. (Author/MSE)

A set of linear conditions on the item response functions is derived that guarantees identical observed-score distributions on two test forms. The conditions can be added as constraints to a linear programming model for test assembly that assembles a new test form to have an observed-score distribution optimally equated to the distribution of the…

The confidence level (information-referenced testing; IRT) design is an attempt to improve upon the multiple choice format by allowing students to express a level of confidence in the answers they choose. In this study, the author evaluated student perceptions of the ease of use and accuracy of and general preference for traditional multiple…

Discusses the content and cognitive specification of the third edition of the Test of Understanding in College Economics. Presents examples of the construction and sampling criteria employed in the latest and previous versions of the test. Explains that the test emphasizes recognition and understanding of basic terms, concepts, and principles with…